


Full Circle

by Anonymous



Category: American (US) Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:13:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21525796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: A look at Bill & Y/N's relationship from friends to more and beyond.
Relationships: Bill Hader/Reader, Bill Hader/You
Comments: 15
Kudos: 63
Collections: Anonymous





	Full Circle

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be 500 words of PWP as a writing exercise but quickly spiraled out of control, as my thirst for Bill Hader could not be contained. Sorry/not sorry.

Bill & Y/N's relationship had started out innocently enough. They had been friends for years, ever since they were castmates on _SNL_ together in the mid-2000s. Y/N had been there for Bill during so many milestones -- his wedding, the birth of all 3 of his daughters, his move from New York to L.A., and his divorce.

She had been the first person Bill had called after he & Maggie had officially decided to end their marriage. Y/N had just finished up a film shoot in Boston and had planned to stick around for a few extra days before heading back to L.A. but had immediately changed her plans, boarding the next flight back in order to be by Bill's side in support and to help him move.

She had made sure that Bill took proper care of himself during the divorce proceedings, had held his hand and soothed him as he had an anxiety attack the day his divorce was finalized, and had also held him as he cried about missing his kids while he was both filming _IT: Chapter Two_ and writing season two of _Barry_. 

One night while Bill was in Toronto filming _IT: Chapter Two_ , he received a FaceTime call from Y/N. 

"Hey, Y/N. What's up?"

"Congratulations!" she said.

"Thanks, but for what?" Bill had gone straight from his hotel to his trailer and had yet to check any sort of news media that morning. 

"Wait, you haven't heard yet? _Barry_ has been nominated for 3 Emmy awards, including you as Best Lead Actor in a Comedy! And not only that, but you're also nominated for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting SNL!"

"Oh my God, are you kidding?" Bill's eyes had widened. "Wait, that's today?"

Y/N had laughed. "Yes, you goof, the nominations were just announced. I'm so happy for you-- you deserve it!"

Bill had always hated red carpets. It was difficult enough having to be 'on' during talk show interviews and press junkets, but red carpet interviews were Bill's personal brand of hell. "That means I'm going to have to go to the show. Shit." Bill sat back. "Hey, would you-- would you please go with me? I really don't want to go by myself."

Y/N had nodded. "Of course, sweetheart, whatever you need."

"Thanks, Y/N. You're the best."

The closer the day of the Emmys came the more Bill found himself looking forward to it. He was excited about getting to hang out with Y/N and, if he was perfectly honest with himself, to be able to show her off on the red carpet as his plus one, even if it was as his platonic best friend. 

Bill wasn't blind, he had always been perfectly aware that Y/N was a beautiful woman; however, having been 100% devoted to his ex-wife during their marriage he had never once given any thought to pursuing Y/N. After he and Maggie had been separated for a few months though he suddenly found his feelings for Y/N starting to morph into something… less platonic. However, he had pushed them aside as simply a post-divorce rebound crisis until one day after his divorce was settled he and Y/N were running lines for a film Y/N was doing, and were rehearsing a scene that ended with Y/N kissing her co-star. Y/N had delivered her final line and Bill's heart began to race at the thought of kissing Y/N. She had leaned in, then turned at the last second and placed a peck to Bill's cheek. "Ok, great. Thanks," she had said. "I think I've got it."

Bill had gone home that evening and spent the entire night coming to terms with the fact that he was most _definitely_ attracted to Y/N, and wondering what the hell he was going to do about it.

The answer had wound up being simple -- absolutely nothing -- until the night of the Emmys.

He had spoken to Y/N earlier that day and made arrangements to pick her up on his way to the theatre, so when the limo his agent had arranged for him arrived at Y/N's house he hopped out and went to her front door, ringing the doorbell and adjusting his bowtie as he waited. 

He could hear the clack of Y/N's heels as she walked to the door. He looked up as the door swung open and his mouth went dry.

Y/N was wearing a beautiful, sleeveless black dress with a ruffly white slit up to her knee and strappy black high-heeled shoes, opting to keep her makeup and jewelry simple and understated. 

Bill suddenly had a thought of skipping the Emmys altogether in favor of peeling the dress off of Y/N and making love to her until she came screaming his name. He blinked. _Wait, where the fuck did THAT thought come from?_ Most of his romantic thoughts about Y/N were of them doing domestic shit like Y/N bullying him into being her sous chef while she tried out some recipe she saw on Food Network or running lines for a scene that one or the other was preparing for (which they already did, Bill's fantasies usually just added making out to whatever situation).

He cleared his throat. "Y/N, you look absolutely stunning."

Y/N grinned. "Thanks. I wasn't 100% sure about this dress."

Bill bit his lip. "It's gorgeous." He extended his arm. "Shall we?"

He kept Y/N near him as they walked the red carpet, looping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him as photos were snapped. He had never really noticed before just how perfectly she fit against him when she was tucked into his side. _Geez, chill the fuck out, man._

Thankfully, they made it to the end of the red carpet without Bill embarrassing himself and found their seats. They chatted with the people seated around them until the show began. Finally it was time for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy category.

Before the winner was announced Y/N gave Bill's knee a gentle squeeze and leaned over to whisper in his ear. "No matter what happens tonight you'll always be a winner in my book."

Bill gave her a genuine smile. "Thanks, Y/N."

"And the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy goes to… Bill Hader for _Barry_!"

 _Holy shit._

Bill had _WON_.

Y/N pulled him up into a hug. "Oh my God, congrats, sweetheart!" She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek before nudging him toward the stage.

Bill honestly couldn't remember what he had said in his thank-you speech, but he hoped he was able to convey his gratitude to the entire cast and crew of Barry and to everyone who loved and supported him, Y/N included. Once he was backstage after his win all he could think about was getting back to his seat so he could celebrate his win with Y/N.

He finally made it back to his seat, where Y/N gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as they sat through the rest of the show. Afterwards, Bill somehow managed to get through his post-win interviews without incident, which he had to admit was difficult knowing that Y/N was waiting for him. Once the last one wrapped and he and Y/N made it back to the limo, he let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God that's _finally_ fucking over."

Y/N placed a reassuring hand on his knee. "The hard part is done. Now, let's celebrate!"

During the after-party, Bill was standing with some of the current SNL cast members, watching as Y/N chatted with someone Bill didn't recognize.

Kenan greeted him. "Hey man, it's been awhile. How you been doing?" 

"Hanging in there," Bill replied. "Almost done filming _IT: Chapter Two_ and working on the new scripts for _Barry_."

"Been seeing anyone new?"

Bill snorted and took a sip of his drink. "I'm a 40-year-old divorced father of 3. Women don't exactly find that overly sexy. Plus I'm super busy and don't have time to get to know someone new right now."

Kenan smirked. "Oh, you don't have to get to know someone new. There's someone you already know who I'm sure would be happy to help your '40-year-old, divorced father of 3' self get back on the horse."

"What? Who?"

"You're staring at her."

Bill tore his gaze away from Y/N and blushed. "What? Y/N? No way, man."

Kenan's eyes narrowed. "You're seriously going to tell me that you've _never_ thought about tapping that?"

Bill cringed. "Dude, come on. Y/N's my best friend."

Kenan raised an eyebrow. "Exactly. She knows more dirt on you than probably anyone else on the planet, and yet she still wants to hang out with you."

He clapped Bill on the back. "Seriously, dude. You haven't let Y/N out of your sight all night, even when she's been standing right next to you. Plus you look like you want to _actually_ go full Barry on Keith over there."

Bill huffed. "Y/N's my plus-one, of course I'm going to keep an eye on her. Plus he's getting too touchy, Y/N doesn't like it when people she doesn't know crowd her personal space."

Keenan shook his head. "Just… take a chance and ask Y/N out, man. You might be surprised by the results."

Bill had almost asked Kenan what he had meant by that but was interrupted by a gentle touch on his arm.

Y/N grinned up at him. "Hey, there."

"Hey," Bill replied, instantly relaxing. "You about ready to go?"

Y/N nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready." She turned and gave Kenan a brief hug. "Kenan, so good to see you again."

"You too, Y/N," Kenan replied, then gave Bill a look that said, _don't blow your chance._

Bill put a protective hand on Y/N's back as he led her to the limo, Y/N humming as they walked.

As soon as they got in the limo Y/N reached down and took her shoes off.

"You ok?" Bill asked.

Y/N shrugged. "These shoes are pretty comfortable but I can still only wear them for so long before my ankles start to hurt."

"Here," Bill said, pulling Y/N's feet into his lap and massaging her arches for a bit before moving up to her ankles.

Y/N groaned. "Jesus, Bill, your hands are magic."

"You oughta see what else they can do," Bill blurted without thinking. _Shit_.

Y/N just stared at him for a moment before huffing out a laugh. "You dork."

She playfully slapped him on the arm before sliding her feet off of him and sitting back properly in her seat.

The rest of the ride back to Y/N's house was relaxed -- or as relaxed as Bill could be with the war going on inside his head.

He was still arguing with himself when the limo pulled into Y/N's driveway. He was about to ask her to come stay in his guest room for the night when she suddenly spoke. "Hey, you want to come in since it's still pretty early? I have a bottle of champagne we can open, have a more low-key Emmy celebration." She bit her lip. "I feel like we didn't really get to celebrate your win properly since the after-party was so crowded."

Bill immediately nodded. "Yeah, okay."

He briefly spoke with the limo driver then he and Y/N headed back towards Y/N's door.

Y/N flicked on a lamp once they made it inside, casting the room in a soft glow. "I'm gonna go change out of this dress, get into something more comfortable, k?" 

Bill nodded. "I'll go ahead and get the champagne. It's in the fridge?"

"Ok, yeah. Thanks."

Bill loosened his bow tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt, shucking them and his tux jacket off and leaving him in his plain white undershirt. He stuck his bowtie in his pants pocket. _I might as well get comfortable too._

He moved through Y/N's kitchen with a practiced ease, pulling a couple of champagne flutes out of her cabinet and the champagne out of the fridge. After glancing towards the living room, Bill also grabbed some strawberries, blueberries, and cheese cubes and quickly arranged them on a plate. _This isn't romantic,_ he told himself. _We just haven't eaten much today and we've been drinking, don't want to make ourselves sick. The fact that it's all foods we can feed to each other has nothing to do with it._

He had just set everything down on Y/N's coffee table when he heard her voice behind him. "Ooh, nibbles," she said. "Perfect."

Bill turned around.

He had thought that Y/N looked beautiful in the elegant dress she had worn earlier in the evening, but that was nothing compared to the pajama pants and tank top she was currently sporting, face scrubbed clean of makeup. Bill suddenly had the image of waking up next to Y/N and just watching her sleep for a few minutes before running his hands over her bare shoulders and down her arms while gently kissing her awake.

 _Jesus, I'm fucked._ He cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. We haven't eaten much tonight so I figured we should probably have something while we drink."

"Yeah that's probably a good idea."

Bill reached for the bottle of champagne. "Ok, so it's party time," he joked. 

Y/N grinned. "So, how does it feel to be an Emmy winner?"

Bill shook his head. "Honestly, I'm still in shock." He popped the cork and quickly poured them each a glass, handing Y/N hers before setting the bottle down and picking up his own.

Y/N sat on the couch, tucking her leg underneath her and turning to the side so she could lean against the arm of the couch. She patted the spot next to her. "Come join me." 

Bill sat down and mirrored Y/N, turning so that their knees were touching.

Y/N held up her glass. "A toast," she began in a fake British accent, "to actor, writer, director and best friend extraordinaire, Mr. 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy' 2018 Emmy winner himself, Bill Hader!"

Bill blushed as she clinked her glass with his. "Thanks for coming with me tonight."

"Hey, I'm always down for an excuse to wear a pretty dress and get dolled up." Y/N winked as she took a sip. "I'll have you know that I'd be more than happy to accompany you to any and all events if it means I get to see you dressed up or in a tux."

Bill laughed. "I'll definitely keep you in mind any time I need a date to an event."

Y/N turned her gaze towards the cheese plate and seemed to be deciding what to take. "I figure you're probably not ready to start dating again just yet, but seriously, I'll gladly accompany you until you meet someone and would rather take them." She finally chose a strawberry and shrugged. "You know, because of all the women that'll be throwing themselves at you left and right since you're an Emmy award-winning actor now." She winked at Bill then took a bite, chewing with a big closed-mouth smile before taking another sip of champagne.

Bill snorted and gestured to himself. "Oh yeah, all the ladies'll want this dad bod."

Y/N giggled into her glass. "Hey, your dad bod is actually pretty hot. Don't think I didn't notice you hiding some abs under that tux."

Bill just laughed and shook his head.

He finished his glass of champagne and poured another one. _Gonna need some liquid courage for this_ . "But uhh… what if I said I actually _was_ ready to start dating again?"

Y/N's eyebrows raised. "Oh?" she said casually.

"Um, yeah. I think I might be."

"Well good, honey. You deserve to be happy." Y/N finished her glass of champagne then poured another.

Bill closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then blurted out, "So with that being said, would you... uh… would you like to go out on a date with me?"

Y/N snorted. "Very funny, Bill. Ha ha."

Bill shook his head. "No, I'm not joking. I'd like to take you out on a date. Not just us grabbing lunch or coffee as friends or you being my casual plus-one to an awards show or vice versa, like an official date where we dress up and I bring you flowers or some shit when I come to pick you up and kiss you goodnight when I drop you off at your door. A date."

A slow smile spread on Y/N's face. "Really?"

Bill found himself smiling as well. "Yeah, really."

Y/N bit her lip shyly. "Well in that case, I think I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

Bill ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck, I wish I wasn't leaving to go back to Toronto tomorrow afternoon. I don't want to have to wait until I get back to take you out."

Y/N smiled. "Well, you technically *did* pick me up tonight. We were dressed up and in a fancy car. And you also walked me back to my door afterwards."

Bill liked where this was going. "That's true, I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, yes you did." Y/N picked at a loose thread on her pajama pants. "And besides, bringing flowers for a date isn't a requirement in my book anyway so it sounds to me like tonight still kind of falls under the parameters of a date." She glanced back up into his eyes. "Don't you think?"

Bill's eyes crinkled at the corners as he grinned in amusement. "Wait, did you say parameters?"

"Um, yes?"

Bill smirked. "Oh, well then, can't argue with that logic." He leaned towards Y/N. "So now there's just one thing left to do, right?" 

Y/N placed a gentle hand on Bill's knee as she also leaned in, running her thumb over the inside of his knee and setting Bill's skin on fire. "Right," she whispered.

"Jesus, _Y/N_ ," Bill breathed, wrapping his arms around her and connecting his lips with hers.

Kissing Y/N was downright _intoxicating_. She tasted of champagne and strawberries, a flavor combination that Bill knew he would associate with her for the rest of his life.

He shifted them until Y/N was straddling his lap, allowing him better access to deepen the kiss. 

They kissed slowly, easily, taking their time to explore each other's mouths. Y/N's hands reached up to bury themselves in Bill's hair while Bill's hands slid down to Y/N's hips, tracing his fingers along the edge of her pajama pants where a peek of bare skin showed.

Y/N let out a whimper into Bill's mouth, which quite honestly was the hottest thing Bill had ever heard in his life. He wanted to hear her make that noise again and again and again...

He let out a throaty growl. As much as he wanted to continue the proceedings, he didn't want his first time with Y/N to be a hurried, adrenaline-and-alcohol-fueled fuck on a sofa. He wanted to take his time with her, taste every inch of her bare skin until she was an incoherent mess before taking her completely apart. _I want to make love to her._

He slowed the kiss down, getting one last peck in before pulling Y/N against him in a cuddle. "I think -- I think I should probably get going."

"Mmm," Y/N murmured, leaning back to look at him. "Probably a good idea. You have a flight to catch tomorrow."

Bill reached up and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I'd definitely like to take you on a second date when I get back."

Y/N smiled. "I'd like that too." She slid off of him back to her spot on the couch. "Call me when you get back to Toronto?"

"Of course." He stood and held a hand out to Y/N to help her off of the sofa. "Walk me to the door?"

"Of course," Y/N echoed with a smile, taking Bill's offered hand and standing as well. 

Bill didn't let go as he used his free hand to pull his phone from his pocket, opening the Uber app to summon a ride before switching over to his camera app. "Wait, here, let's-- I want a picture of us to have with me while I'm in Toronto."

He pulled Y/N to his side, snapping a selfie of them together before turning to give her a kiss and snapping another one before finally letting her go.

Y/N smiled down at the pictures. "Send me those?"

"Yeah, sure." Bill quickly texted the pictures to Y/N before going back to the Uber app. He hesitated a moment, then pulled his dress shirt and tux jacket back on. "My ride's almost here. I'd better go wait outside."

Y/N nodded. "Ok."

Bill reached for the doorknob then paused. "Uh, and just in case it wasn't obvious, I'm glad you came with me tonight."

Y/N smiled shyly. "Me too. Give my love to the girls."

"Will do. 'Night, Y/N."

"Good night, Bill."

Bill opened the door and stepped outside right as his ride pulled into Y/N's driveway.

He made brief small talk with his Uber driver, leaving a generous tip on the app once he arrived home. 

He locked his door and immediately made his way to his bedroom, shucking his clothes off and getting ready to go shower. He texted Y/N. _Just letting you know I made it home._

The three bubbles that indicated that Y/N was typing popped up. _Ok, good. Thanks for letting me know._

Another message popped up. _Have a safe flight tomorrow_. 

_Thanks_ , Bill replied, then thought for a minute and typed out another message. _You know, I really don't want to have to wait until I get back in order to take you out on a second date, so since my flight isn't until 3 do you want to grab an early lunch? Say, around 11?_

He held his breath as the three dots popped up. _Yeah, I'd love to. Wanna meet near the airport?_

They agreed to meet at a sushi restaurant near LAX, then said good night. Bill set his phone on his nightstand and headed into his bathroom, turning his shower on and briefly letting it heat before stepping in.

He let his mind wander back to the night's events: Y/N looking beautiful in that elegant black dress and heels, Y/N looking even more beautiful in a tank top and soft, worn pajamas, Y/N straddling his thighs, fingers tangled in his hair, the little breathy sighs she made as they kissed…

He shook his head. _Maybe I should switch to cold water_.

He took a quick shower and briefly towel-dried himself before getting ready for bed, letting thoughts of Y/N lull him into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

He awoke the next morning in a better mood than he had been in for a while. He got dressed and headed to the restaurant, stopping at a nearby florist first in order to buy a single white rose. He made it to the restaurant right before 11, where Y/N was outside waiting for him. 

"Hey," Bill said as he walked up.

"Hey, sweetheart." Y/N replied. She looked around. "Wait, where's your luggage?"

Bill shook his head. "Since I was gonna be able to actually be at home before the awards I didn't need to bring any."

Y/N nodded. "Oh, yeah, okay, that makes sense." 

Bill handed her the rose. "I know you said bringing flowers to a date wasn't a requirement but uh…" He trailed off. "The, uh, the lady at the flower shop said that white roses are a symbol of new beginnings."

Y/N leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You are the sweetest. Thank you." She gestured towards the restaurant. "Shall we?"

Bill put a hand on Y/N's lower back as they entered the restaurant, asking the seating hostess for a table for two. 

"Somewhere private, if you don't mind," Y/N added. 

They were seated at a table in one of the side rooms, where their server quickly took their drink orders.

"So how'd you sleep last night?" Y/N asked. 

"Good, good. Fine," Bill replied. "What about you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I slept great."

There was a pause in the conversation as their server came back with their drinks and took their order.

Bill and Y/N had been dining together for years, so by that point they had their usual order down to a science. They decided to just go ahead and split a few appetizers and sushi rolls, Bill expertly modifying the order to both his and Y/N's tastes.

Once their server had taken their order and was out of earshot, Y/N said, "hey, um, so can we talk?"

Bill's mind immediately went rogue. _Shit, now that Y/N's had some time to think about it she's changed her mind, hopefully last night didn't screw up your friendship too bad, the rose freaked her out, do some damage control you jackass--_ He took a nervous sip of his water. _Probably should've ordered something with alcohol in it._

Y/N reached over and placed a hand over his, rubbing the top of his hand with her thumb. "Bill, honey, I can feel you freaking out from here. It's not what you're thinking, I promise."

Bill looked back up at her.

Y/N smiled gently at him. "I was just going to say that since we're trying out this dating thing I'd assume we'd want to keep it totally private until you're able to tell the girls. It's important to me that they're ok with us dating and I'm sure you'd rather have them hear about any new relationship directly from you, rather than from one of their friends whose parents read about it in a magazine or on a gossip blog."

Bill's heart swelled. He had always known that Y/N cared about his daughters, but hearing her say how important it was to her that they were ok with Bill pursuing a relationship with her -- fuck, she was amazing. "Yeah," he said.

"Ok, then it's settled." Y/N gave Bill's hand one more reassuring squeeze then leaned back in her chair. "So you've got, what, another month or so of filming to get through?"

"Yeah, it shouldn't be not too much longer than that," Bill answered. "Then when I get home we start shooting season 2 of _Barry_ , but at least that's here so I'll be able to go home at night and spend more time with the girls… and with you."

"I'm definitely looking forward to that," Y/N said with a smile. "And I know they are too."

Their food arrived, ending that part of the conversation. When it was time for the check, Bill gave their server his credit card before Y/N could even get hers out. "My treat," he said with a wink. 

"Thank you," Y/N replied.

Once Bill signed the receipt, he and Y/N stood, thanked their server and left the restaurant. They stopped a short ways from the entrance. "I'd better go get checked in for my flight," Bill said. "I'll call you later."

"Ok, bye sweetheart," Y/N replied. She leaned in and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek near the corner of his mouth. "Thanks again for the rose."

Bill watched as she walked away. _How did I get so lucky?_ he thought as he turned and headed towards the airport.

* * *

The next month surprisingly passed pretty quickly, and the next thing Bill knew he was back in L.A.

He grabbed his luggage from baggage claim and turned his phone back on. 

He quickly typed out a message. _Got my luggage. On my way out._

 _Ok, I'll loop around_ , came the response.

Bill thrummed with energy. He and Y/N had texted and Facetimed as much as possible whenever he wasn't filming but it wasn't the same as seeing her face-to-face, so when Y/N had offered to pick him up from the airport he had immediately agreed.

He made his way to the passenger pickup area to wait for Y/N and was scrolling through his text messages when he heard her voice. "Well hey there, handsome. Need a ride?"

Bill looked up and a broad grin spread over his face at the sight of her standing next to her car. "Well maybe, if a pretty lady like you is offering."

Y/N laughed. "Get in, you goof."

Bill set his bags in her trunk and slid into the passenger seat, waiting until they were back on the freeway to speak. "Thanks for offering to pick me up."

Y/N glanced over at him and shrugged. "It's no problem." She paused, then added, "is it cheesy to say that I offered because I've missed you and picking you up meant that I could see you sooner, even if it was just for a little while?"

Bill chuckled. "Yes, it's incredibly cheesy," he joked. He reached over to take Y/N's hand where it rested on the middle console, gently turning it over and lacing his fingers through hers. _I can do that now_ , he thought with a smile. "But I've missed you too, so it's ok."

They made their way to Bill's neighborhood and pulled into the driveway. "You, uh, you wanna come in?" Bill asked. "You did say that you didn't have anything going on today, right?"

Y/N bit her lip. "You're not too tired for company?" 

Bill shook his head. "I'm fine. I napped on the plane." 

"Well yeah ok then, I mean if you're sure." 

Bill got his luggage out of the trunk. "Hey, would you mind getting the door?" he asked.

"Yeah, no problem," Y/N replied. "You got your luggage?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

Bill and Y/N had swapped spare keys once Bill had moved after he & Maggie had separated, in case one of them needed to drop something off while the other one wasn't home or in case there was an emergency while the other was out of town.

Y/N used her key to let them in and Bill went to dump his luggage into his laundry room to sort later. "Hey, you hungry?" he asked, coming back into the kitchen where Y/N had settled herself on a barstool. "I mean, obviously I don't have any food but we can order something in if you want to stay for dinner."

He opened the refrigerator to grab a couple of bottles of water and noticed that it was full of fresh groceries. "Well never mind."

"Yeah, about that…"

Bill turned to Y/N, who was blushing furiously. "I went grocery shopping yesterday and grabbed you some stuff while I was there, and used my spare key to let myself in in order to drop it off," she said. "I hope that's ok."

Bill blinked at her a few times before walking around the island, cupping Y/N's face in his hands, and pressing his lips to hers. He heard a sharp intake of breath before Y/N wrapped her arms around him and snaked a leg around his in order to pull him closer, deepening the kiss.

While he was away filming Bill had wondered if Y/N had thought about their first kiss as much as he had. _Apparently so,_ he thought, swallowing Y/N's moan as he moved his hands from her face, sliding one down to Y/N's hip and the other one up into her hair.

He kissed his way down Y/N's jawline to her neck, where he gently scraped his teeth along her pulse point. "God, I've missed you," he muttered before soothing the spot with his tongue. 

"Missed you too," Y/N panted. " _Fuck, Bill_."

The wrecked tone in her voice sent all of Bill's blood rushing south. _Jesus, Y/N's gonna be the death of me_ , he thought. He pulled back and looked at Y/N, whose pupils were blown wide with lust. "Is that what you want?" he asked lowly.

Y/N nodded.

Bill shook his head. "Use your words, Y/N. Is. That. What. You. Want?"

"Yes," Y/N breathed. "Yes, I want that."

Bill smirked. "In that case, we should probably take this to the bedroom."

He slid his hands under Y/N's thighs and lifted her up, Y/N linking her arms around his neck as he carried her to his bedroom.

Bill gently set her down on his bed, kicking his shoes and socks off as he climbed in.

"You sure you want this," he clarified.

"Yes," Y/N replied. "I want this. I want _you_."

Bill growled low in his throat, fusing his lips to Y/N's once again. He slid his hands under her shirt, relishing in her gasp as his fingers touched bare skin. He slowly stroked her sides before grasping the edges of the shirt, breaking their kiss only for a moment in order to pull it over Y/N's head as she did the same for him.

He shook his head when Y/N reached for his pants. "Right now is all about you. I want to make you feel good first, Y/N. Will you let me do that for you?"

 _"Jesus Christ, Bill,"_ was Y/N's moaned response. _"Please."_

Bill thought that he would never get tired of hearing Y/N say his name like that. He quickly reached behind Y/N and undid her bra strap before scooting her further down the bed, using his weight to guide her into a laying position. He rained kisses back down her neck to her shoulders, slowly sliding one bra strap down and kissing each inch of skin the strap touched before making his way across her upper chest to the other shoulder, repeating his ministrations. Once he had the straps free, he slowly pulled the bra off, exposing her lush breasts.

He kissed his way down Y/N's chest, trailing a thumb over one nipple before sealing his mouth over it and suckling gently.

Y/N cried out, arching into Bill's mouth as he flicked his tongue over the rosy bud, hands flying into Bill's unruly hair and giving a light tug.

Bill let out an involuntary moan. _Shame I have to cut my hair soon._

Bill switched to Y/N's other breast, giving it the same attention with his mouth before kissing his way down her stomach, hands sliding down to the top of Y/N's pants.

Y/N lifted her hips in silent permission as Bill slowly peeled her pants and underwear off simultaneously.

He trailed his hands down her hips to her inner thighs as he continued kissing his way down, relishing in the pants and broken moans that were spilling out of Y/N as he neared her core. "Is this okay?" he asked. He was serious about consent, especially when it came to Y/N. 

_"_ God, yes _, please_ Bill, I need your mouth on me," Y/N panted.

Bill placed one more soft kiss on Y/N's hip before lowering himself to her core. " _Christ_ , you're so wet for me. Can't wait to taste you." He licked a broad stripe up Y/N's folds.

Y/N's let out a sound that almost made Bill come on the spot. He gently stroked the inside of her thighs. "Don't worry, baby, I got you," he said reassuringly, the term of endearment rolling off his tongue as naturally as breathing.

He took his time taking Y/N apart, slowly inserting one, then two fingers as he explored her with his tongue until she was near the edge.

"Bill, Bill please," Y/N moaned. "I need to come."

"Go ahead, Y/N, I got you," Bill said before crooking his fingers to what he hoped was the perfect angle and giving Y/N's sensitive bud a gentle suck as he flicked his tongue against it.

"Fuck!" Y/N cried, thighs quivering around Bill's head as she came.

"We're getting to that, Y/N," Bill said seductively, licking his lips before slowly kissing his way back up her body. "Tell me what you want," he murmured, tracing his tongue around Y/N's navel.

"I want -- _Fuck_ ," Y/N huffed out as Bill sucked a mark into her skin near her hip. "I want to ride you."

Bill let out a groan, quickly making his way back up to Y/N's lips. _Jesus, she really will be the death of me._ He gave Y/N a heated kiss as he fumbled for his nightstand drawer, finally getting it open and thanking Past Bill for having the thought to stock some condoms before he left for Toronto.

He set the square packet next to him as Y/N sat up to divest him of his pants. "Need you naked," she muttered against his lips. "Wanna feel you in me."

Bill took a sharp breath. _"Fuck yes."_ He hurriedly kicked his pants and boxers off before tearing open the foil packet and rolling the condom onto his rock-hard length.

He pulled Y/N back in for another kiss as he maneuvered them into position, Bill settling for laying back but propping his head up on his pillows while Y/N straddled his thighs.

Bill hissed in a breath as Y/N took him in her hand to line him up with her core. "Um, just a fair warning, I'm probably not going to last long," he said. "It's been a while."

Y/N nodded, then slowly sank down on him. "Same," she said tightly, her eyes fluttering closed. "God, _Bill_."

Bill took a couple of deep breaths to steady himself. He moved his hands to Y/N's hips to anchor her, hissing once again as Y/N lifted herself up then sank back down on him, setting a slow pace.

 _"Christ_ , Y/N." Bill moaned. "You feel so good."

"Fuck, so do you," Y/N replied, speeding up her rhythm.

"You look so fucking beautiful like this, Y/N, I can't stand it." Bill felt a familiar coil starting to tighten in his stomach. "Fuck, I'm close."

"Me too," Y/N panted. "Been dreaming of having you inside me. Thought about you every night while you were gone -- Jesus, _BILL_ \--"

 _"Fuck, Y/N,_ " Bill moaned as he released, feeling Y/N's walls tighten around him as she also came. 

Bill's arms wrapped around Y/N, holding her as she snuggled on top of him while they both came down from their highs. Y/N gave him a gentle kiss as she reached down to hold the condom in place and lift herself off of him before collapsing at Bill's side.

Bill sat up to dispose of the condom in the trash can by his bed and haphazardly wipe himself with his shirt, throwing it in the general direction of his bathroom before flopping back on his side and pulling Y/N to him. "So, you been dreaming about my dick, huh?" he joked.

Y/N playfully rolled her eyes. "You're gonna be _insufferable_ about that, aren't you?" 

Bill laughed. "Probably."

He suddenly rolled over so he was hovering over Y/N, gently pinning her wrists to the bed. 

Y/N's eyes suddenly widened, a look of utter _want_ coming over her face.

Bill filed that away for later as he gave her a quick kiss. "Now, let's go take advantage of my fully-stocked refrigerator and grab something to eat."

* * *

He spent the next month alternating between filming season 2 of _Barry,_ seeing his daughters, and spending time with Y/N.

Their relationship became public a few days after Thanksgiving, Bill and Y/N having (purposely) been spotted getting cozy at dinner. Bill had told Maggie first, who had been extremely supportive and included Y/N in Bill's invitation to Thanksgiving dinner so he and Y/N could tell the girls together that they were dating. The girls had taken the news very positively, having literally known Y/N all their lives.

The day after the news publicly broke, Bill was lying on Y/N's sofa reading a book while Y/N was on the phone with her publicist.

"Jill said that the confirmation of our relationship from an 'unnamed source' is making the rounds," Y/N said, hanging up and walking into the living room. "TMZ has already run a story on 'Hollywood's new comedy couple'."

"I wonder if anyone will ever figure out that _we're_ the 'unnamed source'," Bill replied, setting his book on his lap and tilting his head back as Y/N softly ran her fingers through his hair. "Mmmm." He leaned up to give her a kiss.

 _This_. This was what Bill had hoped for. He and Y/N were still doing the same domestic shit they had always done except now they also made out on their sofas, and arguing over which true-crime show to watch on TV usually led to sex.

Bill was _loving_ it.

"At least now I can hold your hand in public." Y/N rounded the sofa, tapping Bill's leg. "Scoot."

"But I'm comfortable," Bill whined playfully.

Y/N shot him an obviously fake glare. "William Thomas Hader, if you don't move in the next 5 seconds I'll just sit on you."

Bill smirked. "Ooh, using my full name, kinky. Is that a promise?"

Y/N laughed. "You're such a dork."

Bill sat up and turned so Y/N could sit next to him, planting a kiss to the side of her head. "Yeah, but I'm _your_ dork."

"Yeah, you sure are, aren't you? And now everyone knows." A slow smile spread over Y/N's face.

Bill's heart slammed in his chest. _I'm in love with this woman._

The thought both surprised him and was not a surprise at all. Although they hadn't officially been dating long, Y/N had been filling the cracks in Bill's heart before he had even realized it.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah well, I better get going. Got an early call time tomorrow." He stood. "Oh, before I forget, my place for Christmas? The girls will be with me all that week."

"Yeah, absolutely," Y/N said. "I'll just bring their gifts over early so we can put them under the tree."

Suddenly Bill had a plan. "Speaking of, wanna come help me and the girls decorate over the weekend?"

Y/N nodded. "Of course. Someone's gotta help them fix the mismatched mess that your Christmas tree would wind up being if you were left to your own devices."

Bill grinned. "Oh, and I should be done with filming early tomorrow so how about you come over for dinner? I'll cook." He started planning the perfect scenario in his head: he'd make a romantic candlelit dinner for two, they'd move to the sofa with a couple of glasses of champagne to watch the fire for a bit, Bill would look into Y/N's eyes, and he would tell her he loved her. _Cue the lovemaking._

Y/N winked. "I knew I was keeping you around for a reason." She gave him a soft kiss. "I don't think I'll be too late either, so I can bring a dessert. See you tomorrow, babe."

"Yeah," Bill smiled. "See you tomorrow."

The next evening Bill found himself running around his house, hurrying to finish up getting everything ready before Y/N arrived. 

_Fireplace, check. Food, check. Wine, che -- wait, where'd I put the corkscrew?_

He eventually found it on his dresser, where he had absentmindedly placed it after changing his clothes for the third time.

He thought about changing his clothes again when he heard his doorbell ring. "It's open!" he yelled, making his way back to the kitchen. _Shit, I didn't have time to light the candles._

"Bill, honey?" he heard Y/N call out.

He set the corkscrew next to the wine bottle and headed to the living room. "Hey, babe."

"Hey, yourself." Y/N gave him a kiss. "How was shooting today?"

"Fine, fine. We wrapped the episode so I've got a couple of free days before we start shooting the next one. How was yours?"

"Great," Y/N replied. "The cast seems to really click in a way that I honestly haven't seen since we were on SNL."

Y/N was filming a pilot episode for a new comedy series, which Bill was definitely hoping would be picked up. He had helped Y/N run lines for it and could hardly keep a straight face, it was that funny. 

"That's great, babe." _Time to put the plan into action._ "Dinner's ready, by the way. I made spaghetti."

They headed to the kitchen, where Y/N poured them each a glass of wine while Bill fixed their food. 

"Want to eat in the living room?" he asked. _The fireplace will have to do._

"Yeah, sure, sweetheart." 

Bill grabbed their plates while Y/N carried their glasses of wine in one hand and the bottle in the other and they headed back into the living room, setting everything up on the coffee table and settling down on the floor.

"Oh my God, baby," Y/N said after taking a bite of her spaghetti. "You really made this?"

Bill laughed. "Yeah, I did, from scratch even. While you may be the culinary master in this relationship, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve."

"It's delicious. Thank you." 

They finished eating then moved closer to the fireplace, Bill grabbing the throw from the sofa and spreading it out before they sat.

Y/N was watching the fire, the flames casting her in an ethereal glow. "God, this is beautiful," she said softly.

Bill reached up to caress her cheek, gently turning her face to his. " _You're_ beautiful," he whispered before bringing his lips to hers.

The kiss quickly grew heated, clothes were shed, and soon Bill had Y/N spread underneath him, arms pinned above her head as he thrust in and out of her, driving both of them mad with desire.

After their first time together they had had the 'safe sex' discussion, Y/N disclosing that she was on birth control and hadn't been with anyone since her last health screening. Bill obviously hadn't been with anyone else since Maggie, so they had mutually agreed to go without condoms after that point, a fact that Bill was currently grateful for since his original plan hadn't included making love on his living room floor -- not that he was complaining _at all_. 

"I'm so close, baby," Y/N moaned. "Wanna feel you come with me."

"Me too, baby, me too," Bill babbled mindlessly. "So close. So fucking close. You're so fucking perfect, you make me feel so good. I'm so lucky you're mine, Y/N, _God, I love you_."

His words registered in his own mind as Y/N came with a cry of Bill's name, triggering Bill's own ecstasy and making him come so hard he saw stars.

He thrust a few more times as he emptied himself inside of her. " _Jesus Christ_ ," he huffed, carefully pulling out of Y/N and collapsing at her side. He pulled Y//N to him and wrapped his arms around her, Y/N tucking her head under Bill's chin as he grabbed the edge of the throw and pulled it around them.

Both were silent for a few moments as they caught their breaths.

Bill placed a gentle kiss to the top of Y/N's head. "I really do, you know," he mumbled. "Love you, I mean. I was gonna tell you tonight, which is why I planned this romantic dinner. I _definitely_ wasn't planning on blurting it out during sex, but, well…" He shrugged.

Y/N buried her head further into Bill's chest and Bill realized that she was shaking. _Shit, did I hurt her?_ "Y/N?"

Y/N let out a gasp and Bill suddenly realized that she was _laughing._ She tilted her head back to look at him. "'The best laid plans', right?" she quipped.

Bill chuckled at her pun. "Yeah, yeah." 

Y/N smiled gently at him. "It was perfect. _You're_ perfect." She leaned up and gave Bill a soft kiss. "I love you too, by the way."

Bill pulled the throw off of them and stood, helping Y/N to her feet. "Good, because I plan on both saying and hearing it a lot more tonight, except it's gonna be in the bedroom. The floor is absolute murder on my back."

* * *

**ONE YEAR LATER:**

"I really wish you could be here," Y/N's voice said over the phone.

"I'm sorry, baby," Bill replied, tucking the phone against his ear as he fiddled with his cufflinks. "I wish I could be there too."

"I know," Y/N replied. "It's okay. I'm just really nervous."

"It's just like riding a bike, right? Isn't that what you told me when I hosted?"

Y/N huffed out a laugh. "Using my own advice against me. I see how it is, Hader."

"I know you'll be great, Y/N. Kate said you killed it in rehearsals." 

"You're gonna able to watch it on TV, right?"

Bill grinned and bit his lip. "Absolutely, sweetheart. Wouldn't miss it for the world." He glanced at the clock. "Listen, I gotta run. But you got this, okay? I love you."

"Love you too."

"Bye, baby."

"Bye."

Bill hung up and checked his pockets again, grabbing his wallet off of the nightstand before heading out the door.

**************

"...Ladies and gentlemen, Y/N Y/L/N!"

Bill watched as Y/N came out on stage to loud applause.

"Thank you, thank you," she said, waiting for the applause to die down. "Thank you. Oh, wow. Oh, my goodness. It is _so_ great to be here hosting _Saturday Night Live_ . This show has so many wonderful memories for me and it is an _amazing_ feeling to be back on this stage…"

He laughed along with the audience at Y/N's opening monologue, even though he had heard it several times before since she had practiced it on him back home in L.A.

…"We've got a great show for you tonight, NF is here! Don't go anywhere, we'll be right back!"

Bill watched with pride as Y/N nailed her hosting duties, running through the show seamlessly until it was time for the final sketch, which was a _Bachelorette_ -type dating show where Y/N would be blindfolded during a cocktail party as various male members of the cast portrayed her suitors. One by one they would come up to her and try to hit on her, each one more eccentric than the last. Finally, Kate, who was playing the host, would come over to talk to her right when Y/N would get fed up and pull her blindfold off, revealing that she had, in fact, fallen for NF, who was playing a production assistant.

Bill watched as Y/N ran through each suitor, finally ending with Pete Davidson. Kate stepped into the scene and gave her lines, which was Bill's cue.

His heart started racing. _Showtime._

The audience went wild as he stepped onto the set, Kate walking off so it would just be him and Y/N. _Good luck,_ she mouthed with a wink as they passed each other.

Bill waited as the applause died down and Y/N delivered her final line. "You know what, I can't take it anymore! I _have_ fallen for someone!"

With a dramatic flourish she removed her blindfold. "I'm in love with--" 

Her jaw dropped. "Bill?" she blurted.

"Hi, honey," Bill said. "Sorry to interrupt your sketch, but I need to talk to you about something important." 

Y/N glanced offstage for a second, presumably to Lorne, then back to Bill. "Okay?" she said questioningly, then her eyes widened. "Wait, are the girls okay? Are _you_ okay?"

The fact that Y/N cared enough to immediately worry about his daughters just solidified Bill's decision. _God, I love this_ _woman_. "Yes, yes, I'm fine and the girls are fine. Everything is fine."

Y/N slightly relaxed and Bill took her hands in his. "13 years ago when I first joined the cast of _Saturday Night Live_ I had no idea that I would wind up meeting one of the most important people in my life, but there you were, very quickly becoming my closest castmate and best friend. You have been by my side during some of the best… and worst... times of my life and there's honestly no one else I'd rather have with me on this crazy roller coaster ride. I love you more than life itself and since we met on this very stage it's only fitting for me to ask you right here…" 

He dropped down to one knee, letting go of Y/N's right hand to take the small black velvet box that he had been carrying all evening out of his pocket.

Y/N's eyes widened, one hand flying up to her mouth.

Bill took a deep breath and opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. "Y/N, will you marry me?"

Y/N nodded tearfully. "Yes. Oh my God, Bill, yes."

Bill stood, sliding the ring onto Y/N's finger before pulling her to him and slotting his lips over hers. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," Y/N replied, then leaned back. "Wait, have you been here the _whole time?_ "

Bill chuckled. _Man, that was a hard secret to keep._ "Of course, honey, there was no way I'd have missed it. I've been planning this since I found out that you were going to be hosting."

One of the PAs cut in. "Y/N, sorry to interrupt, it's time for the closing. Bill, we moved the rest of your things to Y/N's dressing room."

"Thanks, Steve," Bill replied as the cast all joined them.

Y/N squeezed his hand. "Stay with me for the closing?" 

"Absolutely."

_"In 3, 2, 1--"_

"Thanks so much to everyone here at _Saturday Night Live_ for having me, NF for performing, and to my fiance' for the surprise proposal. Just in case you missed it, I SAID YES! We love you, goodnight!"

"Goodnight!" Bill chimed in.

As the cast gathered around them to give their congratulations Bill looked around the set. "Hey, since we met here and got engaged here, think you'd want to get married here?"

Y/N laughed as she leaned up to give him a kiss. "We can talk about it."


End file.
